Stars Hollow Voles
by Lady S
Summary: ***C***I'm not sure on the rating so I went high. It begins as a L/M and R/D before turning to L/L and R/D.
1. Legal Stuff...

Title: Stars Hollow Voles  
  
Author: Lady S  
  
E-Mail: laysewalton@yahoo.com  
  
Summary: An accident forces many people to rethink many things.  
  
Rating: I'm gonna go high and say PG-13.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters.   
  
Author's Notes: This took me about two weeks to write, and it has not been beta'd so forgive the mistakes. It was written before the Season Premier, edited after it to change a few mistakes and finished before the episode on 10/16. SO... it is my version of how she came to realize Max wasn't it.   
  
This is only my second GG FanFic, though it's my 38th FanFic all together. My first GG FanFic was "What was I Thinking?" which a lot of people didn't understand I guess. The two are not related in anyway, except for maybe Luke's hatred of hospitals.   
  
But Anywho... I hope you enjoy this one and please remember to review. I love to know what people think. Flame me if you must, but I ignore them so it's really not worth it. I love constructive criticism as it helps me to improve my writing. Tell me what you think!  
  
  
  
On to the First Chap!!!!  
  
SEW  
Lady S  



	2. Rory

Chapter One: Rory  
  
  
Looking back, I'm kind of amazed that the first thing to come to my mind when I think about that day was the sound of the crash. No, not that crash. The crash of the coffeepot that Luke dropped. It was noisy in the café, there were a lot of customers and Luke was really busy, but I noticed that he kept looking out the windows, like he was watching for someone or something, maybe. Miss Patty had asked him what he was looking for but he just ignored her and went back to business, filling coffee mugs and taking orders.  
  
I was sitting at the counter, filling Dean in on everything he'd missed while he and his mom were away visiting family. They'd been gone a whole week, it was a record. We were sharing a bowl of fries and each of us had a huge mug of coffee. Luke had came over to refill our mugs and take a few minutes to get away from the rest of the crowd. That was when I heard the crash. I was looking at my mug, getting ready to reach out and take a sip of the freshly poured black brew when I heard the sound of glass hitting countertop. It made sort of a splintering sound. Like someone had taken a hammer to an iced over lake and it cracked all over the place before the ice fell into the water, leaving you a really big hole.  
  
After the splintering sound there was this tinkling sound, like soft rain hitting a glass window. It was pretty actually, when I think about it. It sounded like something you'd hear on one of those nature CD's where they play nature sounds and then softly the music begins to play. I have the dolphin one, it's really pretty, and relaxing too.  
  
But that's the first thing I think of when I think about that day. The sound of the coffeepot shattering. I still can't look at a coffeepot and not think about it; still hear it in my head. They say that's what happens to you when something that's bad happens. You keep the oddest memory of it in your head, replaying for as long as you live, like a CD that skips at the same party, over and over and over.  
  
Sometimes I wish I could throw the CD out.  
  
  
  



	3. It Was a Heaven Sent Saturday. Then Hea...

Chapter Two: It Was a Heaven Sent Saturday. Then Heaven Sent it to Hell.  
  
  
"Mom! I gotta go meet Dean at Luke's, I'm gonna be late and we only have an hour before he has to go!"  
  
From upstairs Lorelai heard Rory's call to and poked her head out of the bathroom where she was still drying her hair. "All right, I'll meet you there! You can take the car if you want it'll get you there faster. Make sure Luke has a whole pot ready, I'm gonna need it!"  
  
"Okay," Rory called back as she grabbed her purse and book from the table in the hallway. Running out the door she hopped in the car, started it, and pulled out of the driveway. Ever since Max had left for Toronto Lorelai and Rory had been staying up every night working on planning the wedding. Every morning they were exhausted. It was a short ride to Luke's Café and in no time at all she was sitting at the counter of the crowded café chatting with her boyfriend.  
  
"I still can't believe you were gone for a week!"  
  
"I know; it's a record. Mom was practically livid when Grandma made us stay for three more days. She was sure we were going to get robbed or something. That's why I only have an hour, after this I have to spend the rest of the day cataloging everything in the house and making sure its all still there. It's going to take all weekend," Dean lamented.  
  
"Here you go. Basket of fries, two coffee's."  
  
Both of them smiled at Luke. "Thanks!" they said in unison. Nodding at them he glanced out the window, for the fifth time since Rory had gotten there before moving to refill someone's coffee.   
  
Going up to Miss Patty to refill her mug Luke asked if there was anything else she wanted. "No, thank you Luke." He glanced out the window again as he turned to leave her table. "Luke? Are you waiting for someone? You keep looking out the window."  
  
"What? No."   
  
Turning away from her curious eyes Luke moved two tables down to take the couples order. He wrote it down on his pad and then moved back to the kitchen to make it, his morning cook had called in sick and that left Luke to do everything today. It wasn't so bad; at least it kept him from thinking about Lorelai every minute. Now he only had time to think about her every other minute.   
  
Luke sighed.   
  
Ever since that Max creep had proposed Luke didn't know what to do. He'd wanted to tell Lorelai but he was afraid she'd laugh at him and think it was a joke, or worse yet, take him seriously, feel awkward, and avoid him all together. But now, now that she was officially engaged to him, Luke felt as though he'd been hit in the chest with a hammer. After a few minutes the order was complete and Luke brought it out to the people who were waiting. As he passed by Rory he saw that her mug was almost empty. Grabbing the coffeepot he stopped behind the counter, glad for a moment away from Patty's ever-curious eyes.   
  
"Fill up," he announced and poured fresh coffee into both of the mugs.   
  
Rory smiled at him and reached out to grab her drink, ready for another taste of her favorite brew. Luke glanced out the window and his stressed expression softened. There, walking down the street towards his café was Lorelai, 'Looking as beautiful as ever,' Luke thought to himself. No sooner had the thought crossed him mind did his heart stop in his chest. Stepping out into the street to cross it Lorelai smiled as she neared Luke's, ready, oh so ready, for that first sip of the angelic drink. Her eyes on the door she didn't see what Luke saw until it was too late. The coffeepot dropped from his hands as Luke rushed from behind the counter, futilely hoping he could get there in time. He threw open the door and had one foot on the step when it happened.  
  
Too quickly to brake, too quickly to sound the horn, the car that had been racing along the quiet street caught Lorelai mid stride, tossing her up into the air like a rag doll. Too late brakes squealed, horn sounded, warning the entire city of what had happened. Watching the woman he loved fly through the air Luke raced to her, forced to watch as she dropped to the grass, bouncing once, before laying deathly still. Falling to his knees at her side Luke drew her into his arms, his hand caressing her bloody cheek as her eyes flitted up to his face, those beautiful brown orbs that were now filled with pain and sadness, before closing.   
  
"Help!" he roared his voice thick with fear and concern as she slacked in his arms. "Somebody get help!!"  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
He hated hospitals. Ever since he was a little kid he hated hospitals. They smelled like death. Sickness, disease, death. Despair, hopelessness, sadness. Mourning, outcry, pain.  
  
He hated hospitals.  
  
But here he sat, with Rory in his arms, in a hospital waiting room on a tan couch, waiting. Always waiting. Waiting for some word, some sign, some news of what was happening in the room that the doctors had holed up in, standing around, working around a gurney that held Lorelai, bloody, broken. Was she in pain? Was she dying? She'll get better right? She'll be okay? Why won't anybody tell them? Why is everybody so quiet? Why did everyone keep calling him Sir? Wasn't that what they did when someone was dying? They called you Sir, or Miss.  
  
Luke wanted to cry, or scream. Hit something, someone, until he knew what was happening. But he couldn't. He had to hold Rory so that she could cry. She was so small, curled up against him, her tears streaming from her red-rimmed eyes. He held her tightly, trying to block the world from getting to her like it had gotten to Lorelai. They weren't alone in the waiting room. Sookie was there with Jackson, she was crying too. Miss Patty had come, she was sitting on the other side of Rory, patting her leg, and tears were in her eyes as well.  
  
They'd been there for almost an hour when a man in green pajamas finally came into the room. He saw Rory and came over to kneel before the young girl. Meeting Luke's eyes for a moment he put a hand on Rory's shoulder.   
  
"I'm Doctor Stevens, I too care of your mom when she got here."  
  
"Where is she? Is she okay? Can I see her? She'll be okay right? When can I..."  
  
"Please! I'll answer all your questions." Looking around he took in everyone waiting in the room and finally looked to Luke. "I assume you're all here together?"  
  
"Yes. Now tell us about Lorelai," he demanded.  
  
"She's in her room, resting comfortably. She suffered a broken wrist and a concussion. Her third rib was bruised but not broken. She's really banged up but all in all she was quite lucky. From the way the accident was described she could have been hurt much worse than she was." Motioning to a nurse who stood in the doorway he continued. "This is Nurse Marie. She'll take you to see your mother, Rory. Ma'am," he looked to Miss Patty. "Why don't you go with her?"  
  
The three women left the room, Sookie following them and Luke stood to follow as well but was stopped by the Doctor. "It was pretty bad. We'll need to keep her for a few nights to make sure about the concussion and she'll need to be woken up every hour to avoid a coma. Your friend was a very lucky woman, Mr. Danes. She could have been killed."  
  
Paling a shade or two Luke nodded and stepped into the hallway, moving as fast as he could to catch up to the women. He entered the room and his eyes were riveted on Lorelai, her skin pale and a long angry red scar traveling down one of her cheeks. He felt the bile rising in his throat and swallowed before it could complete its path. Her wrist was in a cast and what wasn't covered in plaster was bruised a colorful rainbow of blues, purples, blacks, greens and yellows.   
  
Luke felt the tears begin to sting his eyes. Seeing her purse on a chair by the door he grabbed it and left the room. Needing something to do he found a phone, pulled out her address book, and began making calls.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Is this the Gilmore's?"  
  
"Yes this is Emily Gilmore, what did you need?"  
  
"Nothing ma'am. I'm calling about Lorelai."  
  
"What about her? Is everything okay?"  
  
Though he tried his best to remain detached Luke could feel his breath catching in his throat, closing it off and making his voice almost impossible to hear. Clearing his throat he tried again.   
  
"There's been an accident."  
  
Silence. Had she heard him?   
  
Then a gasp. "Oh my god!"  
  
Luke could hear a man in the background and the phone as it was transferred. "Hello? Who is this? What did you just say to my wife?"  
  
"Mr. Gilmore, this is Luke, a... a friend of Lorelai's. Lorelai...there was an accident, you need to come to the hospital."  
  
"My god. We'll be right there. Tell me... is she okay?"  
  
"The doctor's say she'll be okay. She was very lucky."  
  
"Thank god. Was Rory hurt?"  
  
"No, she's here fine but she's very worried and needs her grandparents."  
  
"We'll be right there."   
  
Luke hung up the phone and flipped over a few pages to the M's. He didn't want to make this call, but he owed it to Lorelai.   
  
"Hello, you've reached Max Medina. I can't answer the phone. Leave me a message and I'll return it as son as possible."  
  
'Voice mail. Thank god,' he thought. "This is a friend of Lorelai's. She's been in an accident and is in the hospital. She's okay."  
  
Hanging up the phone he glared at it. God he hated that man. Making one more call, to Michele at the Inn, he headed back to the room. On his way he was topped by the head nurse, there were a few things she needed to tell him about the hospital policy. Listening to her he said he would take care of it and continued on to the room. Lorelai was still asleep; Rory had stopped crying, though from the looks of her she was barely holding on. Making his way to Rory's side he put an arms around her, pulling her away from Lorelai's side. They went out into the hallway. With the door shut Luke pulled Rory into a hug, holding her tightly for a few moments before pulling back to meet her eyes.  
  
"Listen to me kiddo. I called your grandparents; they'll be here pretty soon. When they leave I want you to go home with them."  
  
"Luke no!"  
  
"Rory, you have to. Lorelai has to stay here for a few nights so that the doctors can keep an eye on her, make sure she's really okay before they let her go home. They let you see her now but you can't stay here at the hospital with her, they're policy won't allow it. Go home with your grandparents, okay? They're going to need you as much as you're gonna need them."  
  
"But Luke..."  
  
"I'm sorry Rory, if I had it my way I'd let you crawl into bed with her but you're not allowed. You can come back first thing tomorrow."  
  
"That's not fair."  
  
Holding to him again he stroked her hair. "I know."  



	4. Luke

Chapter Three: Luke  
  
  
What do I remember most about the accident?  
  
What kind of question is that?   
  
You should ask me what it is that I don't remember, 'cause there isn't a part of that day that isn't permanently burned into my memory. I thought that I'd remember the blood most, there was so much of it and it was everywhere! Sometimes I still feel it on my hands. Dried and caked, holding my skin tightly, not letting it move. Her blood soaking into my jeans, they still have the stain, I have them in the bottom of my drawer. I can't throw them out. It's part of her, a part that the world could have lost. I know; that's probably really morbid and sick. What do I care what you think?  
  
But that's not what I think about when I let myself think about it.   
  
The thing I remember most, everyday, every time I think about her, is the night's in the hospital. Those nights when Lorelai would begin tossing and turning in the small little hospital room they put her in. Those rooms are always so small. That's another reason I hate the damn place. But she'd start moving all around like she was trying to escape something, tossing her head, moving her arms all over the place, legs kicking the blankets off her, and I knew what was coming.  
  
After a little while she'd sit up, fling herself away from her pillow, screaming, still not quite awake. I'd see her eyes, those beautiful brown orbs that were usually filled with laughter and joy, filled with pain and fear. Sadness, hurt; I didn't know what to do. She looked like an animal that was caught in a trap, knowing they weren't safe but not knowing how to get out of it. Like a deer caught in headlights, not sure which way will lead to the forest and which will lead to the highway.  
  
I didn't know what to do. I didn't know how to help. All I knew was that I wanted to. I had to.  



	5. Guess What... Nighttime Sucks.

Chapter Four: Nighttime Sucks.  
  
  
"Dr. Richards, please report to ICU. Dr. Richards, ICU."  
  
Luke stared at the ceiling, glaring at it for causing a disruption to her sleep. He was alone with Lorelai, she sleeping and he worrying. Miss Patty had left when Lorelai's parents had come. They raised a stink about the room quality, fretted over Lorelai, cradled Rory, and then took the girl home. They would be back tomorrow. Sookie had gone as well, needing to take care of something at the Inn, and knowing she had to be to work super early the next day. She, too, promised to stop by the next day.  
  
Now it was just Luke to stand vigil over their friend. He didn't mind. He wasn't going to go anywhere anyway. So far everything had been going okay. Lorelai had been woken up on the hour, and she had responded to the Doctor's liking each time. So far so good.  
  
"What do you think you're still doing here?"  
  
His head lifted to see a pudgy nurse standing in the doorway, hands on hips, glare on face, waiting for an answer to her question. Getting up from his seat he crossed to the door, shoed her out and shut the door behind them. Standing in the hallway he turned his best glare onto her.  
  
"I'm not leaving," he told the nurse. It was the same one he'd spoken to earlier, the one who had told him the hospital rules.  
  
"You don't have a choice in this. Hospital policy is strict in these matters. You can't stay."  
  
"I don't care about your hospital policies, I'm not leaving and unless you can manhandle me out of the way don't expect to get rid of me."  
  
"Now you listen here," she began.  
  
"No, you listen to me. I almost lost her today. She could have died and I never would have gotten the chance to tell her anything. Never told her how beautiful she is in the morning when she hasn't had her first cup of coffee yet; how she wrinkles her nose when she thinks or what a great job she's done with Rory during the whole break up thing with Rory and Dean. I have to tell her that and so much more and I am not leaving her, not taking the chance that she won't wake up one of these times. I can't leave her side until I know she'll be okay, that she'll be up in a few days, sitting at my counter begging me for one more cup of coffee, knowing that all she has to do is smile and I won't refuse her."  
  
Luke took in a deep breath after his speech to refill the oxygen to his lungs, expelling it with a sigh.  
  
"I can't leave her."  
  
The nurse was silent for his speech, listening to the words he wasn't saying as well as the ones he was. Glancing at the door and then back to him she pursed her lips. "They're gonna kill me if they find out I let you stay."  
  
Blinking Luke realized what she had said and smiled at her, weak and weary but it was a smile all the same. "Thanks."  
  
"Don't mention it. Ever." Looking at him with serious eyes she shook her head. "I just hope that girl realizes what a great guy she's got by her side."  
  
Nurse Marie, head nurse on the second shift, moved away to make a note on Lorelai Gilmore's file for the next shift of nurse's. She couldn't make any guarantees that they would heed it, but she was going to make sure they knew Luke had her permission to stay.   
  
Watching her walk away Luke wished her words had been as true as she had spoken them. He would always be by her side, no matter what. Even if she married that Max-Jerk he'd still stay by her side, re-filling her mug, filling her stomach with greasy cheeseburgers and fries, lecturing her on proper eating habits, cheering her when she was sad, simmering her down when she was mad. Luke couldn't imagine a life without her; he didn't want to.  
  
Entering her room again she took up his bedside vigil.   
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
Luke awoke with a start, at first confused about where he was. The smell of rubbing alcohol and flowers hit him and he remembered he was in the hospital with Lorelai. It was she who had woken him up. She murmured in her sleep, tossing her head side to side, legs kicking off the blanket as she tried to run from her dreams. Leaning forward Luke took her hand in his and watched with a worried eye as she continued to toss and turn, mumbling incoherently.   
  
Her thrashing increased, restless, frantic, until she sat up, bolting up away from her pillow with a force that ripped her from Luke's hands. A scream tore from her throat, shattering the eerie silence of midnight at a hospital. Struggling to his feet Luke wrapped his arms around her, using his hands to push her back down onto the bed while at the same time smoothing her hair away from her face. His voice soft and comforting he spoke to her, calming her as best as he knew how.  
  
"Lorelai, it's okay, you're safe. Nothings going to happen to you, I swear it. You're safe. I'm right here and nothings going to happen."  
  
Though she settled back to the pillow again her eyes were wide, unfocused, filled with fear. Luke continued his soothing nothings, coaxing her out of her fear bit by bit until she began to relax. Her eyes filled with tears as Lorelai looked over at him.  
  
"Rory?" she whispered.  
  
Luke nodded. "She's fine. She's asleep right now. She's perfectly fine."  
  
The tears began to roll down her cheek but some of the fear left her eyes. They were still haunted by it but now Luke could see the beginning of Lorelai poke through from the back. He continued to stroke her hair, smoothing it back, rubbing her arm, the good part, lightly, whispering to her to get some sleep. Moments later she was back to sleep.  
  
"What happened? Is she all right?"  
  
Looking to the door he saw Nurse Marie enter the room and check the monitors next to Lorelai.  
  
"She's okay. She just woke up from a nightmare that's all. She's asleep again."  
  
Satisfied with the status of the monitors, the IV's, and his explanation she moved to the door, pausing for a moment to stare at them, he with his hands still in her hair and on her arm, before shutting the door behind herself as she left.  
  
Closing his eyes Luke leaned his head down on the bed next to her shoulder. He could still see her eyes, the fear, primal fear that had filled them. Pain. Sadness that had come from the very core of her soul. He felt tears sting at his eyes for the second time that night. His breath ragged, chest heaving, Luke needed air. Standing up he crossed to the door, yanking it open and shutting it tightly behind him. Leaning against it he bent over, putting his head almost between his legs to keep from hyperventilating. She'd scared the living daylights out of him. Still bent over he tossed his hat to the floor, running his hands through his hair in frustration. Luke stayed there for a few moments trying to calm his heart and erase the image of her eyes from his mind.  
  
From the nurses station Nurse Marie watched him trying to regain control of himself. She had no doubt about how much Luke loved Lorelai, Marie could see it in everything he did, every step he stepped and every breath he breathed. That was one lucky girl.  
  
"Excuse me!"  
  
Snapping her head to look at the dark hair-ed beauty that stood before her Marie re-focused her attention to him. "Can I help you?"  
  
"I'm looking for Lorelai Gilmore, she was brought in earlier today. I got a message on my voice mail from some guy, saying that she was here, that she was in an accident. Is she okay? How badly was she hurt? Please tell me something!"  
  
"Yes there is a Miss Gilmore here. Who are you?"  
  
"I'm Max Medina, her fiancé. May I see her? I know I can't stay but I really need to see her!"  
  
Looking just over his shoulder Marie saw Luke facing them, the look on his face both angry and sad. Closing his eyes he nodded and turned away, rounding a corner, not wanting to meet up with Max. "Room 318. You have ten minutes and don't wake her up."  
  
Not even bothering with a thank you Max ran to Lorelai's room and entered it, leaving a confused Marie behind. She wondered at this new man, Max, and Lorelai. Where did Luke fit into it? Did Lorelai know what she was missing? Did she even know how Luke felt? Shaking her head Marie hoped she did. Luke was just too much to throw away for any reason. Looking once more at the door she glanced at the clock. She had said ten minutes and she meant ten.  
  
Max stood over Lorelai, his hands shaking as he took hers in his, gently so as not to hurt or disturb her. His eyes were teary as he looked at her bruised arms and scarred cheek.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Lorelai! I should have been here sooner. I just got in when I got the message; I came straight over here. I'm so sorry, honey."  
  
He sat in the seat next to her bed, holding her hand in his, until the nurse that had given him ten minutes came to tell him his time was up. With a kiss and a promise to return in the morning Max left to go home, get some sleep and return to make good on his promise. As he stood in the doorway, turning back for one last look he missed Luke come around the corner and duck back behind, waiting until Max was gone to emerge and return to Lorelai's side. The last thing anyone needed was a scene between the two men.  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
A low beeping roused Luke from his slumber and, rubbing the kink from his neck, he opened his eyes to look at his watch, silencing the alarm before it could rouse Lorelai as well. Getting to his feet Luke leaned over Lorelai to look at the monitors on the other side of the hospital bed. They seemed normal. Placing a gentle hand to her forehead Luke smiled when he felt no fever, always a good sign. Glancing at his watch he saw that Rory and the folks would be back soon. Wanting to avoid their questions Luke gathered his coat and left. After he'd climbed into his truck he realized he'd forgotten his hat.   
  
Quickly walking back to the room he rounded the corner to see Max draw Rory into a hug. Staying where he was Luke studied the girl. Her eyes were still red and had little puffy bags under them. It was easy to see that she had little, if any sleep last night. His heart went out t her. Lorelai was all she had. Forgoing his hat Luke slipped back out to his vehicle. Let Rory be with her mom while she was awake. They needed to talk to each other. Climbing into his truck Luke started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot.  
  
It was a short ride back to Stars Hollow; upon parking his truck, Luke discovered his café was still unlocked and open. At least the place was still in relative order. Making short work of the remaining chores to do he was about to close the door and get some sleep when the first morning customers came in. With a groan he realized he'd have to stay open. He couldn't close up shop, that would raise to many questions. The last thing he needed right now was to be the center of the town gossip, which would be inevitable if they knew he'd been at the hospital last night.  
  
So he kept drinking the coffee and keeping the customers happy until, finally, the café was empty again. Luke knew he'd have an hour until the lunch shift would begin. Walking down the hall he sat behind his desk placed his head on it and meant to doze for a few minutes. The next thing he knew was the smell of perfume that overpowered the smell of his own scent. Bringing his head up Luke blinked at looked around his office to see Miss Patty standing in the doorway.  
  
"Hey there honey. I didn't see you out front so I figured you'd be back here. Rough night?"  
  
"No one in the office," he growled pointing for her to leave. "Back out front."  
  
Eyeing him Patty did as he commanded, knowing from the bags under his eyes that the night was rougher than he'd ever admit. Sitting herself at a table in the corner she was content to examine him as he worked, filling the orders for the people whom had been waiting for him to appear. He was exhausted, she could tell just from the way he walked and stood. His attitude was nor worse than usual, but his eyes were half-dead from exhaustion. This boy was tired. And he was worried.  
  
Waiting until he approached her table Patty opened her mouth to speak when he cut her off. Leaning his hands on the table he met her eyes and hit tone left no room for reply. "I don't want to hear it Patty. Yes, it was a bad night. Leave it there or get out."  
  
Silent she watched him walk away and return a few moments later with her usual order. He turned to leave when she caught his hand. She was Miss Patty and by God she would have her say. "We're all worried, Luke."  
  
Luke met her eyes for a brief moment and Patty didn't dare breathe, his eyes filled with more than his words could ever have said. "You didn't see what I saw," he told her before freeing his hand and moving away.  
  
It was then that everything Patty had ever wondered was confirmed. Luke did have feelings for Lorelai! He loved her, she was sure of it. And something had happened after they'd left the hospital last night. Hurriedly Patty finished her meal and left the café. She was going to find out what happened.  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
"We'll sue I tell you! My daughter wouldn't even be here if that maniac hadn't a license to drive with. I want his license revoked!"  
  
The officer sighed and put his tablet away. He'd gotten all the information he needed from the woman and her girl, though it was mostly from the girl, the woman didn't remember much, but the grandmother wouldn't let him leave.  
  
"My husband is at his office right now, working on getting that mans license revoked, I'll have you know! How could something like this happen in such a small town! Doesn't anyone monitor young drivers anymore!"  
  
"Grandma..."  
  
"Don't 'grandma' me, Rory Gilmore. I will not rest until that young man has paid for what he has done to my daughter."  
  
"Mom..."  
  
"I can't believe something like this can happen! Does the government just hand out licenses willy-nilly these day?"  
  
"Mom!"  
  
"What? Oh! Lorelai, did you need something? What is it? I'll make sure you get it."  
  
"Could you get me some aspirin? I think I have a headache."  
  
"Of course! I can't believe this hospital hasn't given you any aspirin yet! What kind of hospital is this to not..." Her voice disappeared as the door shut behind her.  
  
"If you run now, I think you can make it officer." Rory smiled at the man in uniform.  
  
Tipping his hat he opened the door just as Miss Patty was reaching for it. Nodding to her then officer scanned the hallway and then disappeared.  
  
"Well, at least one of us managed some freedom," Lorelai quipped. "Hello there, Patty."  
  
"Hi there, Darling. How are you feeling?"   
  
Carefully leaning over Patty kissed Lorelai on the cheek and patted her hand. Sitting down she noticed something sticking out from under the table next to the bed. With quick hands and a racing mind she picked up the object, recognizing it immediately. Luke's hat. A smile grew in her mind, knowing enough to keep it inside for now, as she realized why Luke had been so tired. But he'd said it was a bad night. Surely he didn't mean he'd just been tired.  
  
"Lorelai honey, how did last night go for you, being stuck here and all? I know if it was me I'd probably be afraid or something."  
  
Lorelai looked at Miss Patty with wide eyes. "How did you know?"  
  
"Mom? What happened? Were you okay?"  
  
"I..." Lorelai closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I had a nightmare, a bad one. I... I don't want to go into it but it was really, really scary. But then all of the sudden it wasn't. It was like all of the sudden it wasn't a nightmare anymore but it was a really great dream. I was floating in a pool of hot coffee, strong coffee, very yummy, like in a Jacuzzi. It was so soothing. The bubbles were whispering to me, telling me everything would be okay."  
  
"Wow..."  
  
"Yeah. Wow," Lorelai said, repeating Rory's exclamation. "Weird huh?"  
  
This time Miss Patty couldn't contain her smile. Tossing the hat onto Lorelai's lap she said, "Oh I don't know. Sounded nice to me."  
  
Furrowing her brow Lorelai picked up the hat. "Hey. This is Luke's hat! How did it get here?"  
  
"He must have forgotten it last night when we left," Rory said. "But I could have sworn he was wearing it when he walked us out to the car."  
  
"Lorelai," Emily said as she entered the room. "The nurse's said you had a visitor late last night. Who would stop by here at such a god awful hour?"  
  
"That was Max, Mom, remember? He said this morning that he had gotten the message when he got back to the hotel room from teaching his class in Toronto and came back as fast as he could. They let him in for a few minutes but then made him leave. He told us this morning when you all got here."  
  
"Oh yes. I remember. He said he didn't know who it was that left the message, some man on his voice mail. I wonder if it was the same one who called us?"  
  
"What? Who called you mom?"  
  
"Oh I don't know. You're friend, the one who brought the ice, I believe. Here's your aspirin Lorelai."  
  
Taking the aspirin Lorelai looked at the hat on her lap. "Luke?"  
  
"Oh yes, that was his name. I'm going to go get some tea. Would anyone like some?" Seeing that no one did she left again in search of a strong cup of tea.  
  
"Luke called my parents and Max?" Rory nodded. "What else did he do?"  
  
"Everything mom," Rory said softly as she laid her head on her mothers shoulder. "He saw the car and he tried to get to you but he was too... he couldn't. Then he kept yelling for someone to get help and he tried to stop the bleeding until the ambulance got there. There was... he... your..." Rory stopped as her tears began again. "There was so much blood mom, it was all over him. They wouldn't let him ride in the ambulance so he drove me to the hospital in his truck and stayed with me all night. I mean Miss Patty and Sookie were there too, and eventually Grandma and Grandpa, but Luke took care of everything."  
  
Dazed, not knowing what to think Lorelai was silent, absent-mindedly stroking the cap in her lap. "Wow."  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
She was falling, not floating or flying, but falling. She could see the ground getting closer and closer but she couldn't stop; she was going to hit the ground. Lorelai tried to scream but she couldn't open her mouth to make the sound come out. The ground, it was so close. She was almost there, she was going to hit it, and she was going to die. This much she had not doubt about. Just as she felt the grass brush her arm...  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
With a jerk Lorelai woke up, breathless from her nightmare. It wasn't as bad as some of the others, but this time there was no happy ending like last night. Before she could close her eyes again the door opened and Max popped his head in.  
  
"Hi, how are you feeling?"  
  
"Okay," she said, glad her breathing was back to normal. "What brings you here?"  
  
"You, silly." Smiling at her he approached and kissed her, mindful of her wrist and other wounds. As he sat down he saw something in Lorelai's hands. "What's that?"  
  
Looking down Lorelai realized she was still holding onto Luke's hat. "Oh just a hat. What do you think?" she asked, putting the hat on backwards.  
  
Max grimaced. Reaching up he turned it forwards and nodded. "Much better."  
  
Reversing it again Lorelai grinned at him. "I like it better this way. Truer to the wearer." She didn't know why she didn't just tell him the hat belonged to Luke, but something in her made her keep that fact to herself. Curious.  
  
"So I was talking to the Doctor, he said you'll be able to go home tomorrow, so long as you take it easy. So I can come by tomorrow and we'll get you settled at home. I have to be back in Toronto by Wednesday."  
  
"Actually Rory said she already had it all worked out. I wanted to let her do this, it means so much to her."  
  
"Oh sure. I'll drop by later then."  
  
"Okay."  
  
The door opened and Nurse Marie stepped in. "Times up young man; time to go."  
  
"I'm being evicted," he whispered to Lorelai. "I'll see you tomorrow, call me when you're settled in." Kissing her once more Max rose and left under the watchful eyes of the nurse.  
  
Settling back into the bed, after taking the medicine from Nurse Marie, Lorelai fell asleep before she realized that her night watcher had arrived. Opening the door Luke peered in and saw that she was sleeping. A grin slid onto his face when he saw his hat sitting backward on her head. It looked nice on her. Slipping all the way into the room he sat down next to her, settled back as comfortably as possible, and opened his book. Tonight he'd read for a little while. It beat staring at the walls until he fell asleep.  
  
He was almost done with it when Lorelai began tossing and turning again, moaning and whimpering in her dreams, her nightmares. The blankets almost hit the floor again, but this time he caught them and pulled them back into place, tucking them carefully in around her beautiful frame. Her good arm shot out, catching him in the eye with her fist. Cursing he grabbed it and held it down gently. Whispering to her, the words having no meaning but the tone comforting, Luke held her again, his hands once more smoothing her hair back and caressing her cheek.  
  
She calmed down and once again she was sleeping peacefully. Watching her sleep, so innocent with her long lashes and creamy smooth skin framed by dark tendrils of silk, Luke's eyes were drawn to the scar that ran the length of her cheek. It might leave a scar, the doctors weren't sure, but they doubted it. Her wrist would bear a scar, that they knew, but eventually the bruises would fade away.  
  
His mind wandered back to Rory's visit to the café on her way to the Gilmore Parents home. She asked him to help her bring Lorelai home tomorrow. Like he would have said no. He'd agreed and tomorrow the shop would be closed. Luke didn't care what the town wanted to think. He'd had enough of caring. They were already gossiping about what her parents were trying to do to the driver who'd hit Lorelai. Frankly Luke wanted to beat the crap out of him. However suing the rich snob and getting his license revoked was what he'd have to settle for.  
  
Still with his hands in her hair and the other resting on her shoulder, Luke fell asleep, his book forgotten.  



	6. Lorelai

Chapter Five: Lorelai  
  
  
I don't really remember the accident, just what other people have told me. What I do remember though is the afterward. That was a pretty busy time in my life. I didn't move an inch for a week, no one would let me, so I had plenty of time to think, and boy did I need it.  
  
You know how it is when you're walking along and everything is perfectly okey-dokey in your life. Then all of the sudden your at a cross road in your life and fate decides to hit you with a car. Okay, so maybe you don't know how that feels but let me tell you, it really makes a girl think. I mean, I could have died, so I'm told. It's definitely one of those 'stop-and-take-stock-of-your-life' moments.  
  
And here's what I realized.   
  
Number One. I have got a great daughter. She's perfect. Sweet; caring; loving; smart, really, really smart; beautiful; practically perfect in every way. Just like Mary Poppins.   
  
Number Two. My life is pretty good. I'm actually pretty happy with the way it is right now. I have a pretty great job; plans for the future; good friends; a great family, sort of. I mean Rory is great, and I'm starting to get along pretty decently with my parents.  
  
Number Three. I'm in love. Really, truly, head over heels, in love. He's the best man I've ever known. Sweet; caring; funny; handsome; a great kisser; cutest dimple you've ever seen; intelligent. Did I mention he was a GREAT kisser?  
  
That was my problem. It took a car accident for me to realize what I actually had in my life. Talk about a wake up call. There was no snoozing this alarm.  



	7. Wake up Call. No Snoozing it This Time.

Chapter Six: Wake up Call. No Snoozing it This Time.  
  
  
She was ready. Pain pills in her system; hat on head, though why she was still wearing Luke's hat even she didn't know, and release paper signed. All she needed was a push down the hall and she was off. Luke took the handlebars while Rory opened all the doors and they took off at a nice snails pace down the hall. Finally reaching the last door Rory opened it and Lorelai gasped at the shock. It had gotten warm during her two day's in the hospital.   
  
Welcome to summer. Spring said 'Adios!'  
  
Rory opened the door to Luke's truck and, bending over, he picked Lorelai up from the wheel chair to deposit her into the front seat. Sliding her to the middle he backed away and Rory climbed in so Luke could shut the door. The car was already running, so when Luke finally got behind the wheel they were off. Driving safely they made the trip in silence, a rarity for the Gilmore clan, and Luke was drinking it in. Who knew the last time he'd get both of them to shut up for an entire fifteen minutes. In what seemed like no time at all they pulled into the driveway.  
  
Rory climbed out to open the doors for Luke while he pulled Lorelai into his arms once more. Making sure her broken wrist was secured in her lap he lifted her into his arms and strode toward the house. Her head resting on his chest and shoulder she watched as he walked through the house, climbed the stairs, and entered her bedroom. The covers on her bed already turned down Luke laid her down and began to help her remove her shoes. Once they were off he left Rory to help her into some more comfortable clothes and headed down top the kitchen. His favorite girls needed some breakfast.   
  
While the eggs where being whisked he thought of something and picked up the phone, dialing one of the many numbers from the bulletin board.  
  
"Chilton Attendance Office."  
  
"Rory Gilmore won't be in summer class today, probably not for the rest of the week either."  
  
The woman on the other end of the phone stuttered for a moment. "I... um... excuse me? Who is this?"  
  
"This is a friend of the family. She won't be in school. What don't you understand about that?"  
  
"Well why won't she be in class, sir? Is she ill?"  
  
"No." He could hear the frustration in the woman's voice and explained a little farther. "Her mother was in an accident, Rory will be helping her out this week. That's all you need to know."  
  
"I... that is..." the woman realized that was all she was going to get from Luke. "We'll need a note."  
  
"You'll get it."  
  
Hanging up the phone he continued to make the breakfast. Within moments eggs, toast and juice for two were on a carrying tray and Luke was headed back upstairs. In the doorway he stopped and smiled. Both Rory and Lorelai were curled up together on the bed, sound asleep. Watching them for a few moments, a smile coming to his lips unbidden, Luke finally headed downstairs to the kitchen, putting the plates in the refrigerator to be reheated later. Taking a few minutes to clean the mess he'd made Luke tried to decide what to do. He didn't want to leave, but he needed to sleep. With a shrug he decided to do both and stretched out on the couch.  
  
It was the beep of the microwave that roused him. Glancing at the clock on the wall Luke realized he'd been asleep for over four hours. Quickly he got to his feet and moved into the kitchen to see Rory standing in front of the microwave.  
  
"Hi Luke. This looks really good," she smiled at him, pointing to the plate in the microwave. "Mom was hungry but I didn't want to wake you so I thought I'd make some Pop Tarts. I was getting the milk from the fridge and that's when I found your plates. Boy, will mom be surprised."  
  
"Pop Tarts?"  
  
"That's what we usually have, Pop Tarts and coffee."  
  
"No coffee."  
  
"I know. Mom really doesn't like that part of the doctor's orders. The bed part she's fine with but the no coffee is already getting to her."  
  
The microwave beeped at the same time as the toaster popped. Luke moved to get the Pop Tarts while Rory removed the plate, both of the preparing the tray to take upstairs. In the end it was Luke who carried it, Rory leading the way. They entered Lorelai's bedroom and while Rory climbed back into bed Luke placed the tray over her lap.  
  
"Oh wow," she smiled. "This sure beats Pop Tarts. Oh look! There they are."  
  
Still trying to fully wake himself up Luke grabbed the chair from her vanity and, turning it backwards, sat down to watch them eat.  
  
"You are welcome here anytime!" Lorelai said as she bit into her toast. "Anytime."  
  
"Your kitchen is a disgrace to kitchen everywhere. And I hope that was a science experiment I threw away." He saw the two women exchange knowing looks as they each stuffed their mouths too full to talk. "Uh-huh. Thought so."  
  
"Oh!" Rory exclaimed suddenly. "Chilton! I forgot today's Monday. I have summer classes."  
  
Luke held up a hand. "I already called. I told them you wouldn't be in today and probably not for the rest of the week."  
  
Lorelai and Rory stared at Luke, wide eyed. Had he gone too far? "You called the school?" Lorelai said swallowing her eggs.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Wow, you were right, Rory."  
  
"Told you so."  
  
Luke glanced between the two of them, speaking their Gilmore code again. "Right about what? All I did was call the school."  
  
"And call my parents," Lorelai said.  
  
"He helped me get you home," added Rory.  
  
"Not to mention cook breakfast."  
  
"And he stayed with me in the waiting room, even though we know how much he hates hospitals."  
  
"Yeah, that too." Lorelai grinned. "The only thing missing now is a Grade A cup of coffee."  
  
"No." both Luke and Rory said at the same time. Luke continued. "There will be no coffee in this house for either of you until Lorelai is up and about on her own."  
  
Lorelai stuck her tongue out at him. "Meanie."  
  
"Yes I am."  
  
"But Luke! Why me? I can still have coffee, right?" Rory whined.  
  
"Nope. The Gilmore house will be coffee free for once in its life."  
  
"You're right Mom, he's a meanie." Both of them stuck their tongues out at him.  
  
In a rare display of humor Luke stuck his tongue right back out at them, the sight of which left both Gilmore's gasping for breath from their giggles and laughter, Lorelai holding her sides as the movement from laughing hurt her rib. Seeing that she was in pain Luke dug into his pocket and drew out a small bottle with two pills in it. He had Lorelai take them and said he would get the prescription refilled at the pharmacy. The pills did their work and soon Lorelai was asleep. While Rory stayed with her, Luke went into town to get a few things that he saw missing from their house. Knowing them, they probably didn't stock them normally anyway.  
  
His cart full Luke wheeled it over to the check out line and his orders were rung up. "Trying to feed an army, Luke?"  
  
Glancing at the woman cashing him out Luke had no idea who she was but he wasn't about to tell her anything. "I got a café to run."  
  
The woman smiled. "That you do, son. That you do."  
  
The groceries bagged Luke took them out to his truck and walked over to the pharmacy to get Lorelai's prescription. Once he had it he tried to get out as quickly as possible but was stopped at the door by friendly inquiring neighborly busybodies. Question after question was thrown at him, half of them he wouldn't answer and the other half he answered with one or two words. Yes she was home; no she wasn't ready for visitors yet; yes he'd tell her hello for the family; yes, he was getting her prescription filled; no, he didn't know anything about the kid that hit her. Practically running for the door Luke got into his truck and got out of town as fast as he could.  
  
'Why do people have to be so damn nosy?' he wondered as he trudged up the steps and into the house.  
  
Once inside he shed his arms of their bundles, throwing them onto the counter and climbed the stairs to see Lorelai. Though Rory was in the room, this time it was Sookie who was on the bed with her, the three girls chatting away as though they had not a care in the world.  
  
"Of course then Michele had to tell everyone that he was in charge and that every decision had to be run by him."  
  
"Did he go mad and crazy like I know he probably would?"  
  
"Actually, no. He's been doing pretty good. It's us that he's driving absolutely crazy!"  
  
He leaned against the doorjamb, watching and listening, observing them quietly until he was noticed. "Hey Luke!"  
  
"Here you go." Tossing the little bottle to Rory he retreated with an excuse to put away the groceries. Rory, handing the pill bottle to Lorelai, got up and followed Luke to the kitchen to help him.  
  
"Holy cow!" she breathed, taking in the bags that littered the kitchen. "Did you buy out the whole store?" she teased.  
  
Trying to glare at her he couldn't hold it and smiled instead. Tossing her a loaf of bread he got back to work. "I meant it when I said your kitchen was a disgrace, there's hardly anything here to make a decent meal with."  
  
"Well that's cause we almost always eat at your place, or the Inn. Sometimes both."  
  
"Why is it that I have no problems believing that?"  
  
Rory smiled. "Because you know us so well, Luke."  
  
Working side by side to put the groceries away they two friends caught up on life since they'd last had a chance to talk. "That's great Rory. I'll bet you'd be a good event planner for the children's home, you're really good with details an stuff."  
  
"Yeah, but it'd mean a lot more time away. I kind of wanted to spend it with Dean."  
  
"Dean? That jerk that dumped you?"  
  
"He's not a jerk, Luke. We just had a fight is all. Anyway we're back together now."  
  
"Why'd you break up?" He knew perfectly well why, he just wanted to hear Rory's point of view on it.  
  
"I..." Rory sighed. "He told me he loved me and I couldn't say it back. I mean, I do love him; I know I do. But at that moment I just wasn't ready. He got a little upset."  
  
Luke stopped what he was doing and turned to face her. "He had no right to get upset, Rory. If you weren't ready to say it then it wasn't the right time. Even if you know you love him now, if you're not ready to say something then don't. We don't have any control over how we feel, you can't order your heart to love or not to love, it just does."  
  
His eyes betraying him Luke glanced at the ceiling, above which Lorelai and Sookie were still talking. Rory watched him work, her mind whirling in a thousand direction at once. 'Was it possible?' she thought to herself. 'He's known us for a long time, but he's never said anything to anyone. And he's always so good to her, me too, but really nice to her. I mean all she has to do is smile at him and he caves. I bet that if mom really worked on him she could get him to give us our coffee for free. Sure he's always gruff to everyone but that's just cause they always try to change him. He doesn't like that. But he will let mom change him. Like when she got him to paint the café and when she went shopping for him. He actually let her change something about him and stuck with it.'  
  
Rory gasped and covered her mouth with her hand, staring wide-eyed at Luke.  
  
"Rory? What is it? Is something wrong?" he asked her, hearing her gasp and seeing her staring at him.  
  
Shaking her head she smiled at him, here eyes still wide. "Nothing Luke. Nothing. I'm gonna go check on Mom."  
  
Luke followed her out of the kitchen and watched her run up the stairs, disappearing into Lorelai's room. Confused he shook his head and went back into the kitchen. Minutes later he heard feet hurrying down the stairs and out the front door, the door slamming behind them. Groceries away Luke headed back upstairs and found Lorelai struggling to get out of bed.  
  
"What do you think you're doing? Where'd Rory and Sookie run off too?"  
  
"Rory said you forgot the bread and asked her to go get a loaf. She said it was too cold to walk and asked Sookie to drive her."  
  
"She said I forgot the bread?"  
  
"Uh-huh. As for me I need a shower or something. I feel icky."  
  
"You're not supposed to be out of bed," he ordered, pulling the covers back over her, trapping her on the bed.  
  
"Lu-uuuke!!!" she whined. "Please! I'm feeling really icky and I want to clean up!" Looking at him she pleaded. "Please!!"  
  
His shoulder sagging Luke knew he couldn't say no. "All right! Jeez, stop whining like a little girl. But... it's gonna be a bath, not a shower, and your cast gets wrapped in plastic. Deal?" Lorelai nodded, smiling at winning her bath. "Stay here and don't move."  
  
While he disappeared into the bathroom Lorelai stood on shaky feet, stripped off her pajamas, and donned her robe. She had just finished tying the sash single handedly, a rather tricky maneuver when Luke came back into the room. Looking from the bed to her he pointed a finger and glared. "You moved." Lorelai started to defend herself but stopped when he shook his finger. "Don't bother. Come on, I've got your bath run." Picking her up in his arms again Luke carried her into the bathroom and set her down on the toilet, lid down. "Hold out your cast." Doing as she was told Lorelai watched as Luke wrapped a plastic bag around her wrist, covering the entire cast. He pointed out a towel on the floor. "When you're ready call me and I'll come get you. I'm gonna leave the door open just a crack so you can call me if you need anything, okay?"  
  
Smiling at him Lorelai nodded. Luke left the bathroom, door cracked as he had said, and Lorelai untied the robe. Stepping out of it she slid into the tub carefully, relaxing into the hot water. While she soaked for a few minutes Lorelai realized that he had put some of her favorite bath oil into the water, the jasmine scented one. "How did he know?" she whispered to herself. Picking up her loufa sponge Lorelai began to clean away the feeling of dirt, grime, and blood from her skin. She knew it wasn't really there, but she felt as though she could still feel it, caked to her skin. Reaching all over she discovered she could reach her back. Shifting one way, to no avail, she shifted the other to try again. It was no use; Lorelai couldn't reach her back without hurting her already sore body. Upset she reached for her shampoo bottle and found she needed two hands to do that as well. Her emotions began to get the best of her and Lorelai could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. Wishing them away she cried even harder when they fell, dropping into the bath water with little splashes, like a soft rain on a lake.  
  
"Lorelai? What's wrong?"  
  
Sniffling she tried to compose herself. "Nothing..." she called out, her voice choked by her tears.  
  
'Damn,' he thought to himself in the hallway. 'She's crying.' "Lorelai, tell me what's wrong."  
  
"I... I can't reach!" she cried.  
  
He could hear her frustration and racked his mind to think of a way to help. Running a hand through his thinning hair Luke grabbed a few towels from the linen closet and held them out through the crack in the door, averting his head just in case. "Cover up with one of these, Lorelai."  
  
A few moments passed and he heard a small "Okay," from within the small bathing room. Opening the door he glanced quickly at the tub and saw that she had covered up her middle section with the towel, from just under her shoulders to her knees with one of the towels. Kneeling next to her, ignoring the water that was soaking into his jeans, Luke grabbed the sponge from her and put some more body wash on it. Squeezing a few times to lather it he began to make slow, gentle circles on her back, starting from her shoulders and working his way down. The multi colored bruises along her back made Luke want to harm, severely, the little bastard that had done this to her. Grinding his teeth he tried to put his mind past it and soon he saw, not the bruises and pain, but the silky smooth skin that glistened with soap. Rinsing the sponge in the water he used it to rinse the suds from her back and to thoroughly wet her hair.  
  
Dropping the sponge Luke reached for the shampoo bottle. With a good-sized dollop in his hands he worked it through her hair, sudsing it up until he felt it was clean. Using the sponge once more he rinsed her long locks before repeating the process with the conditioner. Her hair done Luke reached forward and removed the drain from the tub, his hand accidentally brushing her ankle. Without a word he stood and left the bathroom, leaving the door open a crack like before. Walking the few steps to Lorelai's room he sat down on her bed and placed his head in his shaking hands, trying to calm his racing heart.  
  
In the bathroom Lorelai sat in the rapidly disappearing water. Neither of them had said a word and yet it had been more intimate than any conversation they had ever had. Getting up from the water Lorelai sat on the edge of the tub and with shaky hands she reached out for the towel to dry off. Her mind kept replaying those five or ten minutes Luke had been in the room with her. He'd been a gentleman about it, giving her a towel to cover up with, never chancing that he might see something, on accident or not. His hands had been gentle, sweeping over her back and through her hair as though it would break off at any moment if handled too roughly. Her heart was racing as her back tingled still from his soft contact when she noticed a pile of clothes on the sink. He'd put another set of pajamas in the room for her to wear. Smiling to herself she donned the light cotton pants and shirt.   
  
Taking a deep breath she opened the door and saw Luke across the hallway, on her bed, staring at the doorway where she stood. After just a second he stood and crossed the hallway to her side, giving her an arm to steady herself on, and led Lorelai back to her bed. Exhausted she sat down and reached for the brush in Luke's hands. He pulled it out of her reach and set it on the floor next to him. Kneeling before her he untied the plastic bag from her wrist and tossed it into the small garbage pail in the corner. Up to his feet once more, brush in hand; Luke gently began to untangle the knots in her hair, the motions of the brush through her hair lulling Lorelai even deeper into an exhausted daze. When he laid the brush on the table next to her bed Luke realized she was asleep. Smiling softly at her he laid her back and covered the sleeping angel with a sheet and comforter before almost closing the door. Standing in the hallway, peering through the crack at her sleeping face Luke watched her for a few minutes before heading downstairs.  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
Sitting at the dining room table, a pie in the oven, dinner on the stove, Luke yawned as he flipped the page of his book. What the tired man really wanted was a nap, but he wasn't about to sleep. Not yet. He was in the second paragraph of the new page when he heard the cries from upstairs. Book and food forgotten he raced up the stairs and into the bedroom to see Lorelai tossing and turning, the covers half off the bed; she was having another nightmare. Sitting on the edge of the bed Luke smoothed back her hair from her face and whispered to her.  
  
"You're okay, you're home safe now Lorelai. There's nothing to be afraid of, I'm right here and you're okay. Just wake up and you can see how safe you are." Luke continued to whisper to her and soothe her until she flung herself out of her nightmare with a scream. Sitting up straight she clung to Luke's arm as he held her until she was fully awake.  
  
"Luke?"  
  
"I'm right here Lorelai. You were having a nightmare but you're okay now."  
  
"Oh god! It was... it was so scary!"  
  
"Tell me about it. What did you see?"  
  
"I was falling. I was so high up but I could see the ground coming closer and closer. I tried to scream for help but I couldn't make any sound. Everyone was there watching me fall and no one was trying to help! Except you. You were running but you weren't getting any closer. I could feel the grass brushing against my skin and I knew... I knew... I was gonna die!"  
  
Sobbing, Lorelai clung to him, the image of her own death still fresh in her mind.  
  
"Listen to me for a sec. Lorelai listen," Luke said, his voice still low and soothing to her. "Next time you know your falling, you just start waving those arms of yours and you'll fly. You'll fly over the heads of all those people who wouldn't help, fly on into my café and I'll get you the biggest best cup of coffee you've ever had, okay?"  
  
Softly, calming down, Lorelai giggled at the picture he painted for her. "And one of your muffins? The blueberry ones?"  
  
"Yeah, one of the blueberry ones," he grinned.  
  
Luke heard movement from below as Rory began to climb the stair. As gently as possible he disentangled himself from Lorelai and helped her sit up against the headboard. As the girl entered the room he removed his hands from her shoulders, moving his finger to lightly brush her cheek as he withdrew his hands.  
  
"Mom?!" Rory exclaimed, seeing the red eyes and tearstains on her mother. "What's wrong?" Climbing into bed with Lorelai Rory put her arms around her, holding her gently yet firmly. Lorelai watched Luke's fleeing back with a frown. "Mom?"  
  
Shaking her head and smiling Lorelai looked to her daughter. "I'm fine, just a bad dream, is all. I think I scared Luke."  
  
"Are you okay now?"  
  
Lorelai nodded. "I am now. But I'm kinda hungry. Do you think you could talk Luke into making some more food?"  
  
"I don't think I have to, the kitchen smells really, really good. I'll go see what he made." Leaning in to kiss her mothers hair she found it slightly damp and smelling nice. "Did you take a shower? You smell really good."  
  
"A bath. With Jasmine oil."  
  
"Oh, that's your favorite kind." Rory smiled as she climbed out of the bed. "Be right back." Skipping down the stairs Rory entered the kitchen to see Luke standing at the sink, water running, but he was staring out the window. "Umm Luke...?"  
  
"Yeah Rory?" he said, not turning around.  
  
"Mom... umm we're kind of hungry. Is that dinner I smell?"  
  
"Yeah, it's almost done."  
  
"Oh good."  
  
"Hey Rory," he said, still having not turned around.   
  
"Yeah, Luke?"  
  
"Did you get the bread?"  
  
"What bread?" Luke turned to look at her and Rory realized her mistake. "Oh that bread! Umm... well... you know I got there, and I suddenly remembered that you had already gotten the bread! So... no... umm... I didn't get the bread. No bread." Smiling falsely at him Rory edged her way to her room. "I gotta... uh... I... I'm gonna go get changed."  
  
Closing the door to her room Rory flopped back onto her bed and stared at the ceiling, her mind replaying the conversation with Sookie during their drive into town.  
  
'Sookie, how do you know if someone is in love? I mean suppose the person is a really quiet person, they don't talk much. How could you tell?'  
  
'Well... I guess you could tell by what they do, how they look. Like Jackson and me. I'm not a quiet person naturally, but he is. I had no idea that he liked me as much as I liked him, but looking back I can see it. He always brought me the best produce, well except for that time he tried to tell me the strawberries were no good. Still can't figure that one out, but you know what I'm saying right?'  
  
'I think so. So you think I should be able to tell by how that person acts. Like if they did something really special for the person they like?'  
  
'Well yeah, but it's also little stuff. Like with Jackson. He brings me the best of his produce every day. It's the little things that really add up, Rory.'  
  
The little things. Like always having coffee ready and waiting; making a cheeseburger for the fourth night in a row; painting the walls against your better judgment; calling the schools so no one else would have to. Rory smiled. Luke was in love. With her Mom!  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
The next morning Rory woke to find Luke gone and a note taped to the Pop Tart box. 'Check the fridge'. Doing as the note ordered Rory opened the refrigerator and found a plate filled with pancakes, ready and waiting to be reheated. Grinning she pulled it out and popped in into the microwave. "A girl could get used to this," she said to the empty kitchen. Waiting for the food to reheat she found her thoughts drifting back to the night before. It had been fun. Luke had made dinner, a veritable feast of chicken and pasta and vegetables, and even made Lorelai's favorite pie for dessert. They had sat up all night, talking laughing, sharing stories, playing games until Lorelai had fallen asleep and Rory was on the verge of it herself. After pulling the covers up over Lorelai Luke had piggybacked Rory to her bedroom to make sure she got there. Depositing the sleepy girl onto her bed he shut the door behind him. The last thing Rory had heard was the sound of water running in the kitchen as he cleaned.  
  
The microwave beeped, pulling her mind back to the present, and Rory opened the door, the aroma of pancakes filling her nose making her mouth water. As she put syrup on them and grabbed two forks she wondered when it was Luke had left. Just as Rory was stepping onto the bottom stair the doorbell rang and the door itself was pounded on. Curious as to who would be here this early in the morning Rory put down the plate and crossed to the front door to open it.  
  
"M...Mr.... Mr. Medina!" she stuttered, wide eyed. She had completely forgotten about Max in their day with Luke yesterday.  
  
"Rory? I thought we agreed you'd call me Max?" he said with a curious look. "Never mind. Where's Lorelai!?! She was supposed to cal me when she got settled in yesterday. I called the hospital but they said she'd been released first thing in the morning. Is she okay? Did something go wrong? What happened?" he demanded, question after question, his eyes flicking from Rory to the stairs and up past them to the door he knew to be Lorelai's.  
  
"Nothing happened. She's fine. I think she might be sleeping. I was just gonna wake her up for breakfast."  
  
"Why didn't you answer the phone? I must have called a hundred times."  
  
Rory furrowed her brows. "I didn't hear the phone ring." Turning from the door she went in search of the phone while Max headed up the stairs to see Lorelai. Finding the phone on its base Rory smiled when she saw it had been turned off. 'Luke must have turned it off so no one could bother us,' she thought to herself as she headed back toward the plate waiting on the stairs to be relieved of its fluffy little breakfast cakes. Stopping still, her hands inched from the plate, Rory's eyes widened and she gave a startled "Oh!" Her eyes went up the stairs to the now open door of her mothers' room. She could her Max talking to Lorelai and didn't bother to go up. Instead, taking the plate back to the kitchen she nibbled on one of them while her brain geared up into overtime.  
  
'Luke loves my Mom but she's engaged to Max. Oh poor Luke! This must be so hard on him! I wonder how he does it? How does he keep something like that to himself for so long? When I liked Dean I wanted to tell somebody! Even if it was just Lane, I had to tell somebody. Oh, poor Luke.'  
  
She didn't know how long she'd sat there in the kitchen but Rory was pulled from her thoughts when Max entered the kitchen. Sitting down at the table across from her he folded his hands and leaned forward. "Rory, can I talk to you for a minute?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"When you were making plans to bring Lorelai home, why didn't you call me? I would have been more than happy to help get her here and I could have helped you take care of things here."  
  
"I... umm... well." Rory sighed. She couldn't lie to him, but she had a really bad feeling he wasn't going to like the truth. "Okay. You see he was there from the beginning, when the car hit Mom he tried to get to her and he stayed with her trying to stop the bleeding until the ambulance showed up. Then he was with me the entire time at the hospital. I couldn't try to keep him away I wouldn't do that to him."  
  
"Him? Him who?" Max was trying desperately to keep his patience with Rory's explanation. He had a damn good idea who this 'him' was and he didn't like it one bit.  
  
"Luke."  
  
Max stood up from his seat at the table and began to pace the kitchen. "I knew it! It's that damn diner guy again!"  
  
"Max! No! Luke is our friend!!! He means a lot to me and my mom."  
  
"I knew he wasn't going to just sit back on this one. I saw him at the engagement party, watching her every move. That's it! I'm going to settle this once and for all!"  
  
Max stalked through the kitchen throwing the door open and was in his car before Rory could say another word. Watching him pull away Rory ran for the phone and dialed the diner but there was no answer. Worried she went upstairs to her mother, who had stayed awake since Max had come to see her. Climbing into the bed she cuddled up to the injured woman ass best she could, her eyes filled with worry.  
  
"Rory? What's wrong, babe?"  
  
"I think I've made a really big mistake, Mom."  
  
"Huh? What do you mean? Where'd Max go? I heard him slam the door."  
  
"I think he went to see Luke. Mom, I... I think Max is jealous of Luke."  
  
"Luke!?!" Lorelai said with wide eyes. "Why would Max be jealous of Luke? I mean its just Luke."  
  
Rory shook her head. How could she not see it, it was so obvious? "Mom, how would you feel if you never saw Luke again?"  
  
"What are you talking about? Is Luke leaving? Why didn't he tell me!?! Where's he going!?! Where are we gonna get our coffee from!?! Why didn't somebody tell me!?! How can he do this to me!?! He can't leave! No! Luke's not leaving; I won't let him!"  
  
Rory stared at her mother as she threw out one question after another. 'There are tears in her eyes!' she noticed. "Mom, listen to me for a minute. Luke's not going anywhere, but why did the thought that he was bother you so much?"  
  
"What? You mean he's not leaving? He's not going anywhere?" Rory shook her head. "Then why'd you say that?"  
  
"I was wondering how you would feel if Luke wasn't in Stars Hollow or what if, once you were married to Max, we moved somewhere else. I think I got my answer. Mom... you like Luke don't you?"  
  
"Of course I like him, he's one of my best friends. He's our coffee man."  
  
"No mom, I mean you like him, as in really, really like him."  
  
"Oh Rory, not you too! Yes I like Luke, he's my best friend, but I can't like him like that!"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Rory, we spend too much time together to be like that. If we were going to feel something for each other don't you think it would have shown up by now?"  
  
"Oh my gosh!" Rory smiled. "You're a vole!"  
  
"I am not a mole! Moles are disgusting and dirty and...!"  
  
"No, Mom, not a mole a vole. A Meadow Vole, a little animal I learned about in biology class. They spend all their time together and are so devoted to each other you'll never see one without the other. That's you and Luke. You're voles."  
  
"We are not!"  
  
"Yes you are!" she laughed. "If someone needs to find you where do they look first?"  
  
"Luke's," she had to admit.  
  
"And every time you go there, sure he tries to talk you out of getting coffee but he always caves in and gives it to you doesn't he? Every time you order a greasy cheeseburger he argues about it and then gives it to you. He let you paint his diner, mom. Even though he swore no one was ever going to paint his diner he let you do it. And look at these last few days since you were hurt. Luke has been there from the instant the accident happened until now. He's not even here this morning but he made sure we had breakfast. He helped me bring you home, he cleaned and stocked the kitchen, he ran errands for you, and he helped you so you could take a bath. Mom... Luke has done things I can't even remember for us. Every time we've needed him, whether it was you or me, he was there for us."  
  
Lorelai sat, staring at nothing, her mind a jumble. Luke had done so much for them, he was always so good to them; from the day she first met him. Her eyes widened as she thought back over the years she had spent with Luke. The diner had become a second home to her, more so than even the Inn. And Luke... Luke was... special  
  
"You're right. I knew he'd done so much for us but I never realized how much it meant to me. I think I always took it for granted that Luke would be there, forever."  
  
"Admit it Mom, you love him!  
  
Lorelai stared at Rory as the truth came to her mind. "I do," she said, with wonder and confusion. "I like Luke. I really do like Luke. But lately... I don't know; it's been kind of different you know? Like he's especially gruff or mean. Why is he being like that? And now, he's completely turned around and he's being so sweet about everything!"  
  
"Mom... you're so oblivious to him. Luke plays like he's gruff and mean because that's how everyone else knows him. You know as well as I do that he's a teddy bear at heart." Pausing Rory decided to bring out the big fact. "And he's in love with you."  
  
"Oh come on!"  
  
"I admit I didn't see it at first either, but now I don't know how I could have missed it. Mom... Luke is head over heels, heart pounding in chest, starry eyed, birds and music, Romeo eat your heart out in love with you!"  
  
"Really?" Lorelai asked, a small smile dawning on her face, excitement sparking in her big brown eyes. "Do you really think he loves me? I mean he is kind of handsome, not an Adonis or anything, but he is handsome don't you think?"  
  
"Definitely."  
  
"And he can be really sweet, like when he made us that Santa burger and when he let me use my cell phone in his café even though he absolutely hates that."  
  
"That's a biggie too, cause he even kicked everybody out after that so he could come to the hospital with you. Luke hates hospitals."  
  
"Yeah he does. I wonder why?"  
  
"I don't know. We should ask him. Maybe it's cause he was really sick when he was a little kid or something."  
  
"Or maybe he ran into the elephant man when he was a little kid and it scarred him for life, nightmares and all."  
  
"It would scare me."  
  
"Oh me too! That elephant man is so scary. But I think the pig man is even scarier."  
  
"What about the bat boy?"  
  
"Him too! Very scary!"  
  
Lorelai smiled at Rory, her smile full and bright for the first time since the accident. "Rory... I'm in love!"  
  
"Yes, it suits you very well."  
  
"It really does, doesn't it?"  
  
"Very much."  
  
"So what do I do now?"  
  
"Well he'd get mad for real if you went over there, so why don't you call him and ask him to come over later? Maybe we can get him to make us dinner again."  
  
"Yeah! Last night was so yummy! Where's the phone?" Handing Lorelai the phone she watched as her mother dialed the diner, something nagging in the back of her mind but Rory couldn't think of what it was. "Huh... there's no answer. I wonder why not."  
  
"Oh my god! Max!"  
  
"Max! I'm engaged to Max! How can I be engaged to Max and in love with Luke at the same time!?! I didn't think something like that was possible but I guess it is I mean after all here I am..."  
  
"No! Mom! Max went over there to see Luke! Oh! You don't think they'll fight do you?"  
  
Both women stared at each other, each one remember the day Luke had fought Dean simply for breaking up with Rory. This was so much more.  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
He'd been pounding the heavy bag for almost an hour, his sculpted upper torso glistening with sweat in the morning sun. Gloves flying, the sound of the leather gloves hitting the vinyl cover of the big bag that hung from the porch roof behind the diner filling the air, Luke was oblivious to the world around him, his mind turned toward one thought. Exhausting himself; so he didn't have to think about anything. So that he could fall into a dreamless sleep, not dreaming of anything, or anyone. He knew there were customers in his café that needed tending to, but they could wait. Let them leave; he didn't care. Not today.   
  
Some part of his brain registered the squealing of brakes from the street out front and Luke's thought immediately turned to the day Lorelai had been hit by that punk in the sports car. Furious with the little bastard Luke began to pound the bag even harder, the need to hit something coming to him stronger and faster the more he hit; pounding the innocent bag to release his frustration, his anger, his pain. Luke was venting the only way he could. He had no one to talk this out with, no one he could turn to, someone he could discuss what was weighing most heavily on his mind and his heart with. The one person he could always talk to was the last person he could turn to this time.  
  
Lorelai Gilmore; the only person in this town who knew the man behind the counter. Oh they all knew the details, there was no escaping that in Stars Hollow, not when you'd grown up here, but only Lorelai knew his feelings, his thoughts. She had managed to worm her way into his heart the moment she had walked into his diner, half dead, hungry, sleepy, and pregnant. There was something in her fire, her excitement for life that shone through even in her bedraggled state. Though Luke had thought it impossible he found himself falling for another woman; someone who was so like Rachel, and yet so different from her at the same time. And now... Luke laughed, a humorless, pain filled laugh; now she was engaged to a prick.   
  
She seemed happy with him and that was what mattered most. If Luke couldn't be the one to make her happy then he was glad she had found someone who could. But still in the back of his mind a small doubt nagged. What if he had taken the chance? What if he hadn't said he was joking every time he asked her out? What would have happened then? Would she be with him? Would Rory look to him to fill the place her father had abandoned? Was it possible that he would have been able to hold a place in their hearts like the ones they held within his? Sighing Luke hung onto the bag at its top, leaned his head on it and stared at the floorboards below him. "Now I'll never know."  
  
Luke heard footsteps from the doorway and turned to see Max Medina standing on the porch facing him, his eyes filled with anger, his hands pulled tightly into fists. The two men stared at one another for a moment while Luke pulled the boxing gloves from his hands. It was he who spoke first.  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
"I'm here to tell you to back off."  
  
"What the hell are you talking about?"  
  
"I'm talking about Lorelai. You had your chance to ask her out and you let it slip past you. Stay away from my fiancé."  
  
"You're delusional."   
  
Attempting to end the conversation Luke dropped his gloves on the porch, slipped on his shirt, and stepped through the doorway the led to his storage room. Max followed him, not giving up until this diner jerk realized he would never have Lorelai. "I'm giving you fair warning. Stay away from Lorelai and Rory or else."  
  
Luke stopped cold and turned to look at Max, his face blank but his eyes a flurry of messages. Only one of which he chose to say. "You have no control over me so I suggest you take your 'fair warning' and shove it." His voice was cold, but his tone conveyed the threats that Luke hadn't said aloud. Turning to leave once more he had just entered the kitchen when Max grabbed his shoulder and spun Luke around. Pushing the teacher back a few steps Luke glared at the man. "Don't ever touch me. Get the hell out of my café before I throw you out." He was trying very hard to keep his temper in check. This was Lorelai's fiancé he was dealing with, he didn't want to make trouble even if the only thought running through his mind was to hit this bastard who had come to warn him off.  
  
The warning given Max headed out towards the main area of the café. Before he crossed the threshold to the counter area he threw Luke an evil glare. "Just remember, you weren't man enough to give it a shot." Whether he was talking about hitting Max or asking Lorelai out Luke didn't know and didn't care; that had been the last straw. Stalking out after Max he caught him a few steps from the front door, spun the man around and pushed him up against the doorjamb. Holding Max there with his shirt bunched up in his hands Luke pierced through him with a look.  
  
"The only reason I haven't beat your damn face in is because you are her fiancé. Get the hell out of my café and don't ever come back."  
  
Though his voice never rose above a whisper it echoed throughout the café, through the silence that had fallen the instant Luke had made his move. Releasing one of his hands Luke opened the door and pushed max out into the street, slamming the door behind him. Ignoring the looks of everyone watching the scene Luke stalked back to his storage room to get to work. By the time he emerged to make the coffee the diner was empty.  
  
"Damn," he muttered. The Gossip Brigade would be running over time with this one. Lorelai would know about it in no time.  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
The front door slammed and the girls heard feet pounding up the stairs. They were surprised to see Sookie standing in the doorway of Lorelai's bedroom, her face concerned and yet at the same time happy.  
  
"Sookie?!"   
  
"You are not going to believe this!!!"  
  
"Believe what honey? Tell us."  
  
Sookie joined them on the bed, her eyes shining as she kept glancing at Rory, her mind replaying their conversation from yesterday. "You knew, didn't you?" she asked the young girl."  
  
"I had a feeling. But she knows now, too."  
  
"You do!?!"  
  
"About Luke? Yeah," Lorelai smiled.  
  
"And...!?!"  
  
"I think I love him."  
  
"Oh my god!!! I knew it! I mean Max is great and all but you and Luke are perfect!!!"  
  
"We're voles."  
  
Sookie looked at Lorelai, confusion written in her eyes. "Huh?"  
  
"Never mind, I'll explain later. What happened?"  
  
"Oh!!!" she cried, her excitement renewed. "Max went to the diner! He was trying to warn Luke to stay away from his fiancé." Sookie stopped to gauge Lorelai's reaction.  
  
"And...!?!"  
  
"Well Luke was in the back, outside I think, he'd been out there for quite a while when Max just came screeching up to the diner. He went straight back to Luke and we thought there'd be an explosion or something, because you know how Luke is about people behind his counter, let alone in the backroom. But there wasn't, not at first. We heard them talking, Max was telling Luke that he'd better stay away from you and Luke told him he had nor right to order him around and told him to... umm... well that he could put his 'order' somewhere not really nice." Lorelai and Rory grinned at each other. They knew perfectly well where Luke would have told Max to put it. "So Luke ordered him to leave the diner. Well Max started to leave but then he called Luke a coward or something, I didn't quite catch that comment, and Luke almost lost it! He shoved Max into the wall and told him that you were the only reason he wasn't going to beat him up. Then he threw Max out of the diner and went back into the backroom."  
  
Lorelai stared; wide eyes, open mouth, slack jaw staring. Sookie wanted to laugh, she and Rory had the same expression; like mother like daughter. Neither of them had uttered a sound when the front door slammed again and more feet pounded up the stairs. Max, taking in the fact that Sookie was there, and the Gilmore Girls faces, filled the doorway; they'd been told. With a sigh he sat in the chair from Lorelai's vanity and looked to Rory. "Could your Mom and I have a moment alone?"  
  
Nodding both Rory and Sookie fled the room to further analyze the events from the diner. Lorelai stared at Max, her expression never changing, until he spoke. "Okay. I know you know about the diner, I'm sure Sookie told you everything."  
  
"Why? She didn't tell me why. So why did you try to tell Luke to stay away from me and Rory?"  
  
Max sighed and ran a hand over his cheeks. "I know he loves you, I know he does, and with everything going on this last few days I guess I just lost my cool. I didn't hit him, I swear to you. I know he's your friend Lorelai but he spends so much time with you. You're my fiancé. I'm the man you're marrying. The one you love."  
  
Lorelai looked down at her hands, her finger tracing the batter on her bedspread, and found she couldn't meet Max's eyes. What was she going to do? With everything she'd found out recently, about Luke, about herself, she didn't know what to say or do.   
  
"He's not just a friend to you, is he?" Looking up at him she saw the realization dawning in his eyes; the knowledge that she herself had just come to know. "You have feeling for him too, don't you?"  
  
"I didn't know how he fealt until today, I swear Max. I never thought of him as anything more than my best friend. But then when Rory told me that he was in love with me..."  
  
She stopped. How does one tell her fiancé she's in love with another man? There were no words that came to her mind.  
  
"You love him."  
  
Tears in her eyes for the pain she was causing such a wonderful man Lorelai nodded. "I can't imagine not having Luke in my life. He's been there for me from the beginning, he's my best friend, and... and I love him. Max, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to I swear it, I never..."  
  
Max put his hand to her lips to stop the words that were piercing his heart, tearing it to shreds. Smiling weakly at her he stood. "I think I need my ring back."  
  
Tears streaming down her cheeks Lorelai removed his ring from her finger and handed it to him. Meeting her eyes one more time Max left the room, and the house, for good. Max Medina, teacher, friend, love, was gone from their lives forever. Falling over onto her good side Lorelai hugged her pillow tight; her tears free falling down her face.  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
It had been a week since Lorelai had come home, a week since she'd broken off her engagement to Max. She knew it was the right thing to do. No one in town knew about the break up yet, save for Sookie. It wouldn't be long though until they entire town knew. Soon she would let Sookie begin to pass the word, and then it would be town news within the hour. There was no way to marry one man when she loved another. Yet at the same time, she hadn't been able to set foot in the diner. Lorelai hadn't left the house since she'd gotten home. But tonight... tonight she would.   
  
It was the night of the dance over at Miss Patty's. A costume party, everyone had to dress up as their favorite person, be it celebrity or historical. Both Gilmore girls had already decided what they were going to wear. Rory entered her mother's room and stood for effect in the doorway. "So, how's it look?"  
  
Turning around Lorelai looked at her daughter, dressed as flapper from the twenties, and smiled. "You look very flapperly."  
  
"Flapperly? Is that even a word?"  
  
"Yep, it's my word." Smiling at Rory Lorelai fixed a stray hair, pushing it back into place. "You were hit by a couple of pretty sticks."  
  
Rory smiled at her mother and knew Dean would love her outfit. Looking at Lorelai's costume she said, "Well I guess tonight's the night."  
  
"Yeah," she said, taking a deep breath. It still hurt to move too much but she would be all right for what she had planned tonight. "Sookie will start spreading the word as soon as you get to Miss Patty's."  
  
"Okay. I hope everything goes good for you tonight."  
  
Lorelai welcomed Rory's hug. "So do I." Together they went downstairs to get the door when they heard the doorbell ring. Opening the door Lorelai watched as Dean's mouth fell open at the sight of her daughter. "I told you it was a couple of pretty sticks."  
  
Laughing, the two teens were off, leaving Lorelai to take the car. Driving over there she suddenly remembered something. Pulling out her cell phone she dialed a number and waited for the familiar voice to come onto the line.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"His Mom."  
  
"Lorelai? How are you feeling sweetheart?"  
  
"I'm getting better. Listen I wanted to be the one to tell you. I... umm... Max and I broke it off. We won't be getting married."  
  
"Why?" Emily asked, her tone conveying neither regret nor joy, simply the dull politeness that made Lorelai grit her teeth and claim a headache.  
  
"Because I was marrying him for the wrong reasons. I know you might want to hear all of this and if you want me to I'll tell you on Friday when we come over for dinner. But for now I gotta get going Mom, I have to meet someone about something very important."  
  
Emily barely restrained her sigh. 'That girl should be resting, not scampering off to meet her friends with a bruised rib and broken wrist!' she thought to herself.  
  
"Very well; Friday then."  
  
"Bye."  
  
Hanging up the cell phone Lorelai pulled into a parking spot a little was across from the diner, on the same side of the street as it. From her seat she could just see the café. It was empty, but obviously open as Luke was moving around within. Mustering her courage Lorelai got out of the car, adjusted her hat and walked up to the café.  
  
Luke was wiping down the counter when he heard the door open. Surprised that there was someone else in this town not at Miss Patty's party he looked up and stopped dead in his tracks. Standing there before him was the most beautiful woman he'd ever known, but she was wearing the worst clothes he'd ever seen. A flannel shirt, un-tucked and half unbuttoned showing a plain white tee shirt under it, over a pair of scruffy jeans. Atop her head was a backward baseball cap covering her full, rich, ebony locks. She was dressed like him.  
  
"I don't suppose I could get a cup of coffee?"  
  
"No."  
  
Lorelai took a step forward. "Please?"  
  
Luke swallowed as she moved closer to him. "No."  
  
"But I haven't had any in over a week. My body is going into withdrawal."  
  
"Good. Maybe you'll finally be able to kick your bad habit."  
  
She shook her head taking another step or two closer to him. "No. You cutting me off from coffee won't help me kick the habit. It's a necessity of life. But there was something you did help me give a good kick to. You and Rory that is."  
  
Luke took a step back and bumped into the counter. He had no where to go. Why was she here? Did she want to yell at him for hurting Max? Why was she dressed like him? Where was the prick? Where was Rory?  
  
"Why did you kick Max out of your café?"  
  
Luke blinked at the sudden topic change. "Nobody threatens me in my own café." To himself he thought, 'Except you, Lorelai Gilmore. I have never felt more threatened by anyone in my entire life.'  
  
"Luke, would you ever lie to me?"  
  
Swallowing to wet his throat he hesitated. "No."  
  
Lorelai took another step closer. "Did Max hit you?"  
  
"No."  
  
Lorelai moved another step towards him. "Do you know what a vole is?"  
  
"No."  
  
Another step closer to him she asked, "Would you give me a cup of coffee?"  
  
"No."  
  
With one last step Lorelai stood directly in front of him, her head tilted back to meet his eyes. "Do you love me?"  
  
Luke closed his eyes. The time had come. Did he lie to her? Tell her she was a friend only? Could he do that? Could he tell her a lie and face her, and his lie, everyday for the rest of his life?  
  
"No." 'No, I can't lie to her,' he thought. 'It's time to tell her the truth. Now may be my only chance.'  
  
Lorelai gasped and took several steps back. He didn't love her. Luke had said no. She'd made a fool of herself and he didn't love her. They were all wrong, Rory, Sookie, every single person in town had been wrong. She'd risked everything thinking they'd been right and they'd been wrong. Tears sprang to her eyes and her lip trembled of its own volition. Her hands trembled and Lorelai turned, ready to race from the café.  
  
At her small noise Luke snapped his eyes open and realized he'd said 'No', aloud. He met her eyes, watching as they filled with tears and pain, her bottom lips trembling in time with her chin. She thought he'd said 'No', that he didn't love her, and it was making her cry. 'What does that mean?' he wondered. 'Is it possible...?' Luke didn't have a chance to think any further when he saw her turn to flee the café.  
  
"Wait!" he cried. "Lorelai, wait! I didn't mean 'No'. I... I was thinking to myself. I couldn't lie to you. I hoped I could but I can't. I know your getting married to that jerk but I can't keep this to myself anymore." Luke swallowed and bared himself to her. "I love you Lorelai Gilmore. I have for a long time."  
  
Standing erect he waited for her to laugh at him. To yell at him and tell him she was getting married in two weeks, how could he do this to her? But it never came. Lorelai stopped in her tracks, hand on the doorknob, frozen like a deer in the headlights of an oncoming car. 'He loves me... he really does love me!' she thought to herself. Turning she faced him and had no idea what to say. For once in her life she was speechless. Staring at Luke Lorelai knew what she wanted to do. Crossing the distance between them she reached up with her good hand, placing it under the brim of his cap at the back of his neck and pulled his head down to meet hers.  
  
Standing there, at the counter in Luke's Hardware Café, Lorelai and Luke kissed for the first time. He was shocked at first when she placed her mouth to his but soon melted into the passionate kiss. Wrapping one of his toned arms around her waist he gently pulled her closer while his other hand lost its fingers in her hair, his thumb caressing her cheek. Luke could taste the mint of her toothpaste and smell her perfumed skin, the Jasmine he knew so well. His heart was threatening to beat itself out of his chest. He loved her, so much, so very much, for such a long time, and now, here she was, in his arms, her mouth to his, her lips pressed to his; she was finally his.  
  
She could feel the warmth of his embrace, taste the sweetness and spice of his lips, smell the musk of his body, and Lorelai's head began to spin. One kiss was all it took to know this was where she belonged, no more doubts, no more fears or worry. Luke was hers and she, with all her heart and soul, was his. This was right. They hadn't fight; they flirted. They hadn't argued; they danced. They weren't kissing; they were joining what should never have been kept apart.  
  
Breaking her lips from his Lorelai put her forehead to his chest, needing to catch her breath, and felt him place his cheek on top of her head. She was still in his arms, and she never wanted to leave. But she did need to talk. "I'm not getting married." Luke held his breath, waiting for her to continue. "I can't marry one man when I love another." Luke wanted to laugh; he wanted to cry. She was his, not Max's, his; all his. "We broke up a week ago."  
  
"A week ago?"  
  
Pulling back Lorelai met his gaze. "Right after I realized how much I love you."  
  
"It took you a week to tell me?"  
  
"Augh! Look who's talking! How long did it take for you to tell me!?!"  
  
"That doesn't count!"  
  
"Why not!?!"  
  
"Because you were dating someone else, that's why."  
  
"I don't think so."  
  
Sighing, knowing there was no way he'd ever win this argument he said, "I love you Lorelai Gilmore."  
  
Lorelai grinned at him. "Does this mean I get free coffee?"  
  
"NO!" he groaned, silencing her with another kiss.  
  
  
  
The End  



End file.
